young　lady　was　worthy　of　better　things　than　plain　John
  Nicholson；　still　known　among　schoolmates　by　the　derisive　name
  of　'Fatty'；　and　he　felt；　if　he　could　chalk　a　cue；　or　stand　at
  ease；　with　such　a　careless　grace　as　Alan；　he　could　approach
  the　object　of　his　sentiments　with　a　less　crushing　sense　of
  inferiority。
  Before　they　parted；　Alan　made　a　proposal　that　was　startling
  in　the　extreme。　　He　would　be　at　Colette's　that　night　about
  twelve；　he　said。　　Why　should　not　John　come　there　and　get　the
  money？　　To　go　to　Colette's　was　to　see　life；　indeed；　it　was
  wrong；　it　was　against　the　laws；　it　partook；　in　a　very　dingy
  manner；　of　adventure。　　Were　it　known；　it　was　the　sort　of
  exploit　that　disconsidered　a　young　man　for　good　with　the　more
  serious　classes；　but　gave　him　a　standing　with　the　riotous。
  And　yet　Colette's　was　not　a　hell；　it　could　not　come；　without
  vaulting　hyperbole；　under　the　rubric　of　a　gilded　saloon；　and；
  if　it　was　a　sin　to　go　there；　the　sin　was　merely　local　and
  municipal。　　Colette　（whose　name　I　do　not　know　how　to　spell；
  for　I　was　never　in　epistolary　communication　with　that
  hospitable　outlaw）　was　simply　an　unlicensed　publican；　who
  gave　suppers　after　eleven　at　night；　the　Edinburgh　hour　of
  closing。　　If　you　belonged　to　a　club；　you　could　get　a　much
  better　supper　at　the　same　hour；　and　lose　not　a　jot　in　public
  esteem。　　But　if　you　lacked　that　qualification；　and　were　an
  hungered；　or　inclined　toward　conviviality　at　unlawful　hours；
  Colette's　was　your　only　port。　　You　were　very　ill…supplied。
  The　company　was　not　recruited　from　the　Senate　or　the　Church；
  though　the　Bar　was　very　well　represented　on　the　only　occasion
  on　which　I　flew　in　the　face　of　my　country's　laws；　and；　taking
  my　reputation　in　my　hand；　penetrated　into　that　grim　supper…
  house。　　And　Colette's　frequenters；　thrillingly　conscious　of
  wrong…doing　and　'that　two…handed　engine　（the　policeman）　at
  the　door；'　were　perhaps　inclined　to　somewhat　feverish　excess。
  But　the　place　was　in　no　sense　a　very　bad　one；　and　it　is
  somewhat　strange　to　me；　at　this　distance　of　time；　how　it　had
  acquired　its　dangerous　repute。
  In　precisely　the　same　spirit　as　a　man　may　debate　a　project　to
  ascend　the　Matterhorn　or　to　cross　Africa；　John　considered
  Alan's　proposal；　and；　greatly　daring；　accepted　it。　　As　he
  walked　home；　the　thoughts　of　this　excursion　out　of　the　safe
  places　of　life　into　the　wild　and　arduous；　stirred　and
  struggled　in　his　imagination　with　the　image　of　Miss　Mackenzie
  …　incongruous　and　yet　kindred　thoughts；　for　did　not　each
  imply　unusual　tightening　of　the　pegs　of　resolution？　did　not
  each　woo　him　forth　and　warn　him　back　again　into　himself？
  Between　these　two　considerations；　at　least；　he　was　more　than
  usually　moved；　and　when　he　got　to　Randolph　Crescent；　he　quite
  forgot　the　four　hundred　pounds　in　the　inner　pocket　of　his
  greatcoat；　hung　up　the　coat；　with　its　rich　freight；　upon　his
  particular　pin　of　the　hatstand；　and　in　the　very　action　sealed
  his　doom。
  CHAPTER　II　…　IN　WHICH　JOHN　REAPS　THE　WHIRLWIND
  ABOUT　half…past　ten　it　was　John's　brave　good　fortune　to　offer
  his　arm　to　Miss　Mackenzie；　and　escort　her　home。　　The　night
  was　chill　and　starry；　all　the　way　eastward　the　trees　of　the
  different　gardens　rustled　and　looked　black。　　Up　the　stone
  gully　of　Leith　Walk；　when　they　came　to　cross　it；　the　breeze
  made　a　rush　and　set　the　flames　of　the　street…lamps　quavering；
  and　when　at　last　they　had　mounted　to　the　Royal　Terrace；　where
  Captain　Mackenzie　lived；　a　great　salt　freshness　came　in　their
  faces　from　the　sea。　　These　phases　of　the　walk　remained
  written　on　John's　memory；　each　emphasised　by　the　touch　of
  that　light　hand　on　his　arm；　and　behind　all　these　aspects　of
  the　nocturnal　city　he　saw；　in　his　mind's…eye；　a　picture　of
  the　lighted　drawing…room　at　home　where　he　had　sat　talking
  with　Flora；　and　his　father；　from　the　other　end；　had　looked　on
  with　a　kind　and　ironical　smile。　　John　had　read　the
  significance　of　that　smile；　which　might　have　escaped　a
  stranger。　　Mr。　Nicholson　had　remarked　his　son's　entanglement
  with　satisfaction；　tinged　by　humour；　and　his　smile；　if　it
  still　was　a　thought　contemptuous；　had　implied　consent。
  At　the　captain's　door　the　girl　held　out　her　hand；　with　a
  certain　emphasis；　and　John　took　it　and　kept　it　a　little
  longer；　and　said；　'Good…night；　Flora；　dear；'　and　was
  instantly　thrown　into　much　fear　by　his　presumption。　　But　she
  only　laughed；　ran　up　the　steps；　and　rang　the　bell；　and　while
  she　was　waiting　for　the　door　to　open；　kept　close　in　the
  porch；　and　talked　to　him　from　that　point　as　out　of　a
  fortification。　　She　had　a　knitted　shawl　over　her　head；　her
  blue　Highland　eyes　took　the　light　from　the　neighbouring
  street…lamp　and　sparkled；　and　when　the　door　opened　and　closed
  upon　her；　John　felt　cruelly　alone。
  He　proceeded　slowly　back　along　the　terrace　in　a　tender　glow；
  and　when　he　came　to　Greenside　Church；　he　halted　in　a　doubtful
  mind。　　Over　the　crown　of　the　Calton　Hill；　to　his　left；　lay
  the　way　to　Colette's；　where　Alan　would　soon　be　looking　for
  his　arrival；　and　where　he　would　now　have　no　more　consented　to
  go　than　he　would　have　wilfully　wallowed　in　a　bog；　the　touch
  of　the　girl's　hand　on　his　sleeve；　and　the　kindly　light　in　his
  father's　eyes；　both　loudly　forbidding。　　But　right　before　him
  was　the　way　home；　which　pointed　only　to　bed；　a　place　of
  little　ease　for　one　whose　fancy　was　strung　to　the　lyrical
  pitch；　and　whose　not　very　ardent　heart　was　just　then
  tumultuously　moved。　　The　hilltop；　the　cool　air　of　the　night；
  the　company　of　the　great　monuments；　the　sight　of　the　city
  under　his　feet；　with　its　hills　and　valleys　and　crossing　files
  of　lamps；　drew　him　by　all　he　had　of　the　poetic；　and　he　turned
  that　way；　and　by　that　quite　innocent　deflection；　ripened　the
  crop　of　his　venial　errors　for　the　sickle　of　destiny。
  On　a　seat　on　the　hill　above　Greenside　he　sat　for　perhaps　half
  an　hour；　looking　down　upon　the　lamps　of　Edinburgh；　and　up　at
  the　lamps　of　heaven。　　Wonderful　were　the　resolves　he　formed；
  beautiful　and　kindly　were　the　vistas　of　future　life　that　sped
  before　him。　　He　uttered　to　himself　the　name　of　Flora　in　so
  many　touching　and　dramatic　keys；　that　he　became　at　length
  fairly　melted　with　tenderness；　and　could　have　sung　aloud。　　At
  that　juncture　a　certain　creasing　in　his　greatcoat　caught　his
  ear。　　He　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　pulled　forth　the
  envelope　that　held　the　money；　and　sat　stupefied。　　The　Calton
  Hill；　about　this　period；　had　an　ill　name　of　nights；　and　to　be
  sitting　there　with　four　hundred　pounds　that　did　not　belong　to
  him　was　hardly　wise。　　He　looked　up。　　There　was　a　man　in　a
  very　bad　hat　a　little　on　one　side　of　him；　apparently　looking
  at　the　scenery；　from　a　little　on　the　other　a　second　night…
  walker　was　drawing　very　quietly　near。　　Up　jumped　John。　　The
  envelope　fell　from　his　hands；　he　stooped　to　get　it；　and　at
  the　same　moment　both　men　ran　in　and　closed　with　him。
  A　little　after；　he　got　to　his　feet　very　sore　and　shaken；　the
  poorer　by　a　purse　which　contained　exactly　one　penny　postage…
  stamp；　by　a　cambric　handkerchief；　and　by　the　all…important
  envelope。
  Here　was　a　young　man　on　whom；　at　the　highest　point　of　lovely
  exaltation；　there　had　fallen　a　blow　too　sharp　to　be　supported
  alone；　and　not　many　hundred　yards　away　his　greatest　friend
  was　sitting　at　supper　…　ay；　and　even　expecting　him。　　Was　it
  not　in　the　nature　of　man　that　he　should　run　there？　　He　went
  in　quest　of　sympathy　…　in　quest　of　that　droll　article　that　we
  all　suppose　ourselves　to　want　when　in　a　strait；　and　have
  agreed　to　call　advice；　and　he　went；　besides；　with　vague　but
  rather　splendid　expectations　of　relief。　　Alan　was　rich；　or
  would　be　so　when　he　came　of　age。　　By　a　stroke　of　the　pen　he
  might　remedy　this　misfortune；　and　avert　that　dreaded
  interview　with　Mr。　Nicholson；　from　which　John　now　shrunk　in
  imagination　as　the　hand　draws　back　from　fire。
  Close　under　the　Calton　Hill　there　runs　a　certain　narrow
  avenue；　part　street；　part　by…road。　　The　head　of　it　faces　the
  doors　of　the　prison；　its　tail　descends　into　the　sunless　slums
  of　the　Low　Calton。　　On　one　hand　it　is　overhung　by　the　crags
  of　the　hill；　on　the　other　by　an　old　graveyard。　　Between　these
  two　the　roadway　runs　in　a　trench；　sparsely　lighted　at　night；
  sparsely　frequented　by　day；　and　bordered；　when　it　was　cleared
  the　place　of　tombs；　by　dingy　and　ambiguous　houses。　　One　of
  these　was　the　house　of　Colette；　and　at　his　door　our　ill…
  starred　John　was　presently　beating　for　admittance。　　In　an
  evil　hour　he　satisfied　the　jealous　inquiries　of　the
  contraband　hotel…keeper；　in　an　evil　hour　he　penetrated　into
  the　somewhat　unsavoury　interior。　　Alan；　to　be　sure；　was
  there；　seated　in　a　room　lighted　by　noisy　gas…jets；　beside　a
  dirty　table…cloth；　engaged　on　a　coarse　meal；　and　in　the
  company　of　several　tipsy　members　of　the　junior　bar。　　But　Alan
  was　not　sober；　he　had　lost　a　thousand　pounds　upon　a　horse…
  race；　had　received　the　news　at　dinner…time；　and　was　now；　in
  default　of　a